An Example of A Lesson Taught With A Constructivist Background
A good example of a lesson being taught in a constructivist way, with the teacher mediating learning rather than directly teaching the class is shown by the example of Faraday's candle. There are various forms of this lesson, but all are developed from the Christmas lectures Faraday gave on the functioning of candles. In open constructivist lessons using these lectures as a basis, students are encouraged to discover for themselves how candles work. They do this first by making simple observations, from which they later build ideas and hypotheses which they then go on to test. The teachers acts to encourage this learning. If successful, students can use this lesson to understand the components of combustion, an important chemistry topic.
Read more about this topic: Constructivist Teaching Methods
Famous quotes containing the words lesson, taught and/or background:
“It is the last lesson of modern science, that the highest simplicity of structure is produced, not by few elements, but by the highest complexity.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“He taught me the mathematics of anatomy, but he couldn’t teach me the poetry of medicine.... I feel that MacFarland had me on the wrong road, a road that led to knowledge, but not to healing.”
—Philip MacDonald, and Robert Wise. Fettes (Russell Wade)
“In the true sense one’s native land, with its background of tradition, early impressions, reminiscences and other things dear to one, is not enough to make sensitive human beings feel at home.”
—Emma Goldman (1869–1940)